Posts for tag: porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are positive proof that unattractive teeth don't always require an intensive restoration to regain their beauty. These thin layers of translucent porcelain — custom-designed and color-matched to blend with your other teeth — are permanently bonded to the visible side of your front teeth.

Although they can't remedy every tooth defect, they're well suited for mild to moderate disfigurements like chipping, staining or gaps. There are now two types of porcelain veneers: the traditional veneer and the “no-prep” veneer.

The standard veneers require some tooth structure removal, referred to as “tooth preparation.” This is because although they're a millimeter or less in thickness, they can still appear bulky if bonded to an unprepared tooth. To accommodate their width, it's necessary to remove some of the tooth enamel. This permanently alters the tooth so that it will need some form of restoration from that time on.

In recent years, however, other veneer options have emerged that reduces — or even eliminates — this tooth alteration. No-prep veneers are so thin they can be applied to a tooth with virtually no preparation. A more common option, minimal-prep, requires only a minor reshaping with an abrasive tool to ensure the fitted veneer looks as natural as possible. Because of their thinness, these veneers also don't have to fit under the gum line like standard veneers.

To obtain no- or minimal-prep veneers, your tooth enamel needs to be in good, healthy shape. They're also best suited for people with small or worn teeth, narrow smiles (the side teeth can't be seen from the front), or slightly stained or misshapen teeth.

Because there's little invasiveness, these low preparation veneers won't typically create tooth sensitivity and they can often be applied without any form of anesthesia. And because tooth structure isn't removed, they can be “uninstalled” to return to your natural look. Of course, that's not always an easy process since the bonding between veneer and the enamel is quite strong, although today's lasers can be used to detach the veneer quite easily.

If you'd like to consider these minimally invasive veneers, talk with your dentist. If you're a good candidate, you may be able to gain a new smile without much change to your natural teeth.

We now have an amazing repertoire in dentistry to restore the look and function of damaged or missing teeth. From tooth-colored crowns to life-like dental implants, we can turn an embarrassing smile into one you’re confident to show the world.

But what if your teeth are visually unappealing but structurally sound? Perhaps they’re slightly irregular or discolored — do you still need the “heavy artillery” in our arsenal of restoration options?

Not at all — dental veneers that provide amazing aesthetic results with minimal tooth preparation may be an appropriate restoration choice for you. As the name implies, veneers are a thin layer of dental material (usually porcelain) that’s permanently bonded to the outside of a tooth. Veneers can be shaped to resemble natural teeth — especially effective for changing the appearance of small or slightly misshapen teeth — and can be customized to match an individual patient’s tooth color.

Veneered teeth require very little preparation compared to other restorations; still, most veneer applications do require some permanent enamel removal so that the applied veneers appear natural. In recent years, however, changes in veneer design and materials have made it possible for some patients to receive veneers without some tooth prep.

If taken care of properly, veneers can last anywhere from seven to twenty years (in some cases, more). While their material composition and the bonding process can withstand normal biting forces, wearers need to keep in mind porcelain is a form of glass — excessive twisting or pressures from excessive grinding habits could cause them to shatter.

And because veneers are made of an inert, non-living material, they can’t adapt to any changes that may occur biologically to your teeth and gums and may need to be updated at some point in the future. The good news is that a loosened veneer can often be repaired.

If you’d like to know if you’re a good candidate for this cost-effective, minimally invasive option, visit us for an examination. Balancing all the factors, porcelain veneers just may be your answer to achieving a better smile.

Porcelain veneers are a proven way to achieve a new smile. Composed of thin layers of dental porcelain and other materials laminated together to form one life-like unit, veneers are applied to the outside of a prepared natural tooth to enhance its appearance. Given the right circumstances, they’re an excellent solution for correcting mild to moderate spaces between teeth, slight deviations in tooth position, and problems with the color and shape of a tooth.

Veneers are very strong and can resist most of the forces you generate when you chew your food. But dental porcelain is also a form of glass — strong but not indestructible. Following a few maintenance guidelines will help you avoid damaging a porcelain veneer and incurring additional dental care costs.

Practice daily oral hygiene. Although veneers aren’t subject to disease or decay, the tooth structure they cover and the surrounding gum tissues are. You should, therefore, brush and floss veneered teeth just as you would any other tooth. And, there’s no need for specially formulated toothpastes — any non-abrasive fluoride brand will work.

Avoid excessive biting or chewing. While it’s a good practice for natural teeth to avoid applying too much biting force to hard materials, it’s especially important for veneers. Attempting to open hard-shell nuts with your teeth or chewing on bones, pencils and other hard objects are just a few of the activities that could lead to a shattered veneer.

Use a bite guard for clenching habits. People who excessively grind or clench their teeth (a condition called bruxism) can also put undue stress on their veneers. We can help alleviate some of this stress by fashioning a bite guard you wear at night. The guard will help protect your veneers from teeth grinding while you sleep.

Limit foods and drinks that cause staining. Tea, coffee, wine and similar substances can leave teeth stained and dingy. Although your new veneers won’t typically stain, the natural teeth around them can — the brighter veneers would then stand out prominently from the dingier natural teeth.

Porcelain veneers are proven “smile changers.” Taking care of them with a few common sense precautions will ensure the change is long-lasting.

Your otherwise beautiful smile has one noticeable flaw — one or more of your teeth are deeply discolored or stained. More than likely this staining is deep within the teeth, what we refer to as intrinsic staining. There are a number of reasons this can occur — from fillings or use of antibiotics, for example — and our first approach should be to attempt a whitening technique.

However, if that doesn't produce the desired result, porcelain laminate veneers are another option you might consider. Veneers are made of dental porcelain, a bio-compatible material that can be shaped and colored to closely match neighboring teeth. After a minimal amount of tooth reduction (removal of some of the enamel from the tooth surface) to prepare for the laminate, the veneers are then permanently bonded to the tooth surface and cover the discolored natural tooth. Besides changing the appearance of discolored or stained teeth, veneers can also be used to correct other imperfections such as chipped or misshapen teeth.

Patients, however, have a common question: how long will the veneers last? With proper care, veneers can last anywhere from seven years to more than twenty years. It's possible, though, to damage them — for example, you can break them if you bite down on something that goes beyond the porcelain's tolerance range, such as cracking nut shells with your teeth (not a good idea even for natural teeth!). You should also keep in mind that veneers are composed of inert, non-living material and are attached and surrounded by living gum tissue that can change over time. This process may eventually alter your appearance to the point that the veneer may need to be removed and reapplied to improve the look of your smile.

If a veneer is damaged, all is not necessarily lost. It may be possible to re-bond a loosened veneer or repair a chipped area. The worst case is replacement of the veneer altogether. Chances are, though, this will only happen after the veneer has already served you — and your smile — for many years.

You may have heard the term “veneer” with reference to woodworking, where it means a thin layer of attractive wood that covers and enhances the surface of a piece of furniture. Exactly the same principle applies to porcelain veneers used in dentistry: A thin layer of ceramic material is used to cover parts of a tooth in order to improve its structure and appearance.

Porcelain is a non-metallic ceramic material that is fired in an oven at a high temperature to make it hard and durable. Dental porcelain veneers are thin layers of ceramic that can be applied to the outside of the tooth so that the end result mimics the natural color and translucency of tooth enamel. The underlying tooth structure has to be prepared by removing a small amount of the enamel, about 1 mm, which the veneer replaces. The veneer is then bonded to the prepared surface using a light-sensitive resin.

In woodworking, a veneer may be used to match the grain between the left and right sides of a piece of furniture, creating a beautiful effect on a curve, or simply to bring the appearance of expensive wood to a backing that is less expensive.

Just as a wood veneer improves the appearance of a dresser or table, porcelain laminate veneers may be used to improve teeth that have a number of cosmetic and functional problems. These include staining that cannot be removed by tooth whitening, teeth that are too small, misshapen, chipped or spaced too far apart. After an assessment of your teeth and your smile, we can create a mock-up using temporary tooth-colored materials so you can decide whether the suggested changes will work for you, or you can make suggestions for further improvements.

Porcelain laminate veneers may not be the best solution for you if your teeth are severely stained or damaged. In cases where a large proportion of the original tooth must be replaced, porcelain crowns may be the best solution. The crown is the part of the tooth that is visible above the gum line, and it can be covered with a porcelain crown that looks exactly like a tooth in shape and color. After studying your needs, together we can decide on the most satisfactory method to restore your most attractive smile.